The Boomtown Rats - "Rat Trap"

 

Garry Roberts, the lead guitarist and co-founder of The Boomtown Rats, died just over a year ago.  The Boomtown Rats were never really big in the US, but I recall a couple of their videos from the early days of MTV.  Their biggest hit, in the US anyway, was "I Don't Like Mondays", which is a fine song.  

But I'd rather remember Roberts & company for their 1978 single "Rat Trap", from their second LP "A Tonic for the Troops".  "Rat Trap" is credited as the first "punk / new wave" single to hit #1 on the UK singles chart.  Which is of note, but is it really punk / new wave?  To my ear, this sounds like it would be at home on Bruce Springsteen's 1975 LP "Born to Run".  I don't even mean that as a criticism, just an observation that saxophone, the storytelling, the song length -- this doesn't sound remotely "new wave" to me, much less "punk".  

Regardless, it's a great song, and Garry Roberts was an instrumental part of the band construction and sound.  The US audience is more familiar with frontman Bob Geldof, from his role in Live Aid, and playing the role of "Pink" the movie "Pink Floyd -- The Wall".  

The Boomtown Rats - "Rat Trap" (Live Aid, 1985-07-13)

Bonus link - "I Don't Like Mondays"